Rocket



Filed May 22, 1944 Dec. 7, E. P. WELLS 2,455,345

4 ROCKET 2 Shuts-Sheet 1 Inventor,-

Eplwnzgd R Mlle,

Dec. 7, 1948. I E. P. WELLS 2,455,345

, nocxm Filed lay 22, 1944 2 sheets-511 2 WW Em hatented fies. 7, i948 @Wi'ififi fiYAiES FATEW? attests tries attests I aocna'r Edward P. Wells, .lachsonviile, Fla. Application May 22, 1944, Serial No. 536,783

(on. roe-tel d Claims. i

This invention relates to an improved rocket adapted to be propelled by the reaction of rearwardly discharging gases thatresult from intermittent combustion of fuel composed of hydrogen and oxygen gases, or the like.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a simple and emcient rocket of the above kind that may be utilized as a propulsion means for vehicles, as a bomb, or as a carrier for supplies and the like.

An embodiment of the invention contemplates the provision of a rocket of the above kind which may be set to travel in a straight course for a predetermined length of time, and which embodies means to automatically alter the course of the rocket and to render its propulsion means inoperative when such predetermined time has elapsed, whereby the rocket may be caused toland approximately at a predetermined distant point.

A further object of the invention is-to provide a rocket of the above kind including a parachute that will cause the rocket to descend at a slow rate or speed, the rocket having a, hollow tail fln' within which the parachute is normally stored in a folded condition, and means to automatically expel the folded parachute from the tail fin at the predetermined time when the course of the rocket is altered for descending and the propulsion means of the rocket is rendered inoperative.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described; shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed. l

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure l is a substantially central longitudinal sectional view of a rocket constructed in accordance with the presentinvention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the rear portion of the rocket shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an elevatlonal view showing a longi-- tudinal half-section of the rocket body and illustrating, in connection with Figure 4, a preferred manner of constructing the rocket body.

F gure 4 is an elevational view of the rocket body and showing the manner of assembling two longitudinal half-sections of the form shown in Fi ure 3 to construct the body.

. Figure 5 is a side elevational view, drawn on a reduced scale, showing the complete rocket as it would appear in flight;

Figure 6 is an elevational view of the rocket,

. 2 I drawn on a reduced scale, and showing the rocket as it would appear in descending, the parachute being discharged from the tail fin of the rocket and in open condition.

Figure I is an enlarged fragmentary detail view, partly in section, showing one of the cam-operated valves employed for controlling the admission of the hydrogen and oxygen from their containing flasks to the pumps which supply the hydrogen and oxygen under pressure to the discharge nozzles where the combustion takes place.

Referring indetail to the drawings, the present rocket includes a. hollow elongated body 5 of bulbous form and open at its rear smaller end, said body being constructed of a suitable strong sheet metal and formed so that its smaller rear end portionprovides a discharge neck 8 of Venturitube formation. The body 5 is of such shape, therefore, that any longitudinal half-section thereof aifords an air foil surface. Preferably, the body 5 is composed of two similar longitudinal half-sections 5a stamped and shaped from a sheet of metal and joined together, as by welding or the like, at l along their adjacent straight longitudinal edges. After assembly of the sections 5 and Ed, the forward end of the body is cut off along a line 8 at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the body so as to provide a removable nose portion 9 that is removably secured in place, as at it, by any suitable means. Secured within the forward portion of the body ti flush with the rear edge of the removable nose portion 9 is a partition it preferably of rearwardly curved concavospherical form. Partition H is preferably welded at its marginal edge to the inner surface of the rear or main portion of the body, as indicated at i2, and said partition may be suitably braced in place, as at it. The partition ii thus divides the body 5 into a main rear chamber within which the explosions are to take place in a manner. to

be later described, and a front compartment i4.

' object.

Rigidly fixed to. and projecting rearwardly from the rear end portion of the body 5 coaxial with the latter is an open frame l1 within which is journaled a shaft 88 located coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the body 5. Fixed on and rotatable with the shaft it is a turbine i9, and freely. rotat- 23 and 23a respectively containing diflerent fuels, such as liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen under high pressure. Suitably mounted in the frame I! near the outer ends of the shafts 22 and 22a are spring-opened admission valves 28.

and 28a that are closed by and intermittently allowed to open through the medium. of controlling cams and 25a respectively secured on the shafts 22 and 22a. Also suitably carried by the frame I! are ejector pumps 28 and 28a actuated by cams 21 and 21a carried by the shafts 22 and 22a, respectively. The flask 23 has an outlet line 28 communicating with the inlet of valve 24, while the flash 23a has an outlet line 28a communicating with the inlet of valve 24a. The outlet of valve 28 connects at 23 with the intake of pump 28, and the outlet of valve 24a connects at 23a with the intake of pump 26a. Provided in rearwardly converging relation near the forward end of the main rear chamber of body 5 are discharge nozzles and 30a provided respectively on the forward ends of lines 3| and 3m leading respectively from the discharge ports of pumps 28 and 28a. Mounted in operative relation to the shaft I8 is a magneto electric generator unit 32, one terminal of which connects with an end of an ignition wire 33 whose other end terminates adjacent the nozzles 30 and 38a. The other side of the unit 32 is grounded at 38 to the frame l1, while a further conductor 35 has one end grounded to the body 5 and its other end disposed adjacent to but slightly spaced from the forward end of conductor 33. Thus, a spark gap is provided between the adjacent forward ends of conductor 33 and conductor 33. An end of shaft 22a may be adapted for reception of a starting crank indicated by dotted lines at 38.

In operation, crank 38 is operated so as to turn shafts 22a, 22 and I3. At regular intervals, the valves 24 and 2411 respectively admit the hydrogen and oxygen to the pumps 28 and 26a. The pumps force the hydrogen and oxygen through expansion valves 31 and 31a of nozzles 38 and 30a, and at the proper intervals the unit 32 supplies current for producing a spark at the gap between the conductors 33 and 35, thereby exploding the mixture of hydrogen and oxygen gas issuing from and combining in front of the nozzles 38 and 38a. These rapid intermittent explosions produce expanding gases of combustion which rush rearwardly through the rear end of the body and attain a high velocity at the Venturi neck portion 6. The reaction of these gases against the partition Ii causes forward propulsion of the rocket, and as the gases discharge from the rear end of the body, they impinge the turbine i9 and propeller 28 so as to rotate the latter in opposite directions. The rotation of turbine l9 effects actuation of the unit 32, valves 28 and 24a, and pumps 28 and 26a, so that propulsion of the rocket will continue as long as fuel remains in the flasks 23 and 23a, unless the propulsion means is intentionally rendered inoperative.

Secured to the rear end of the frame i is a 4 flat vertical and hollow tail fin 38 that is open at its rear end. Suitably mounted in the fln 38 is a small flask 33 containing a quantity of carbon dioxide gas. The flask 38 has an outlet line 40 provided with a suitable control valve and communicating with the cylinder of a fluid pressure motor II. The piston of motor 4| is connected with one end of a lever 42 which is pivoted at 83 intermediate its ends within the tall fln 38. The other end of lever 42 is operatively connected at 44 with the shaft of a rocking course deflecting rudder or elevator 48 pivotally carried by a hollow standard 83 secured on top of the fin 38. The arrangement is such that the course deflector may be set in a position as shown to keep the rocket on a straight course,.=but the course deflector 43 may be operated to cause the rocket to change its course and nose downwardly for descending. Mounted in the forward portion time so as to open the ignition circuit and render the propulsion means of the rocket inoperative.

Also, the timing device simultaneously opens the control valve of line 40 so as to admit the carbon dioxide gas under pressure from flask 39 to the cylinder of motor 4 I, thereby'actuating the course deflector 85 in a manner to cause the rocket to nose downwardly. In this way, the rocket may be caused to travel for a predetermined distance and then descend to the ground approximately at a predetermined point, the speed of travel of the rocket being known.

As shown clearly in Figures 2, the cylinder of motor M is provided with perforations at 43 adapted to be uncovered as the piston of said motor 4| approaches its outward or upward limit of movement. In this way, the carbon dioxide gas under pressure is allowed to discharge from the cylinder of motor 4| and flll the greater portion ofthe tail fin 38. Normally stored in a folded condition within the rear portion of fin 38 is a parachute 80, and the carbon dioxide gas discharged into the fin 38 has sufficient pressure to expel the parachute from the fin 38 so that it may open and cause the rocket to descend slowly after the course of the rock has been defiected and the propulsion means of the rocket has been rendered inoperative. The cords of the parachute are suitably anchored at 5| to and within the fin 38. Of course, the parachute 58 is only utilized when the rocket is used for carrying supplies or mail, there being no need for the fin 38 or the parachute when the rocket is employed as a propulsion means for vehicles vor as a bomb.-

Fromthe foregoing description, it is believed that the construction and operation, as well as the advantages of the present invention, will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art. It is apparent that the invention is susceptible of modification and changes in details of construction illustrated and described, such as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In a jet-propelled rocket, a hollow elongated body including a rearwardly tapering major intermediate portion defining a combustion chamber and a rear gas discharge neck of venturi-tube formation merging and co-axial with said intercause the rocket to mediate portion, flasks of diiferent highly compressed liquid fuels secured on the outside of said body adjacent said discharge neck, discharge nozzles mounted centrally of the forward end of and driving connections between said turbine and the pumps, the admission valves and the generator. v

2. The construction defined in claim 1, in combination with a timing device to render the igniting means inoperative at a predetermined time.

3. The construction defined in claim '1, in combination with a timing device to render the igniting means inoperative at a predetermined time,

a course deflector, operating means for said course deflector, a control element for said operating means, and means operatively connecting said timing device to said control element so as to change its course at a predetermined time.

4. The construction defined in claim 1, in com- 4 erating means, means operatively connecting said timing device to said control element so as to cause the rocket to change its course at a predetermined time, a tail fin on the rocket open at its rear end, and a parachute stored in said fin, said operating means including a fluid pressure motor for actuating the course deflector and adapted to discharge fiuid under pressure into the fin after the igniting means is rendered inoperative and after actuation of said course deflector for expelling the parachute from the fin.

- EDWARD P. WELLS.

- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

- UNITED STATES PATENTS Number France Jan. 23, 1937 

